In Indonesia, the death toll from devastating floods and landslides triggered by cyclonic rains has reached to more than 600. Another 500 people remain missing, while thousands more have been injured. Rescue workers are still battling to reach the affected areas. The provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have been hardest hit, with thousands still cut off and without critical supplies. The rescue efforts were underway on the island of Sumatra, where heavy rains pounded villages, blocked roads and damaged bridges. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said, the government was deploying helicopters and aircraft to aid the relief effort.
An exceptionally rare tropical storm, named Cyclone Senyar, hit Indonesia last week causing catastrophic landslides and flooding, with homes swept away and thousands of buildings submerged. Torrential rain and storms have devastated parts of Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, affecting millions of people and leaving more than 1000 dead across Asia this month.
